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First Pro Assignment - The Nutcracker
- Thread starter etrigan63
- Start date
Cindy Flood
Super Moderator
Carlos, I agree with Jorgen that the second set are even better. Very nice work and congratulations.
N
nei1
Guest
Carlos you have a good eye and timing,its hard to see how you could have done things any better,first job or not,well done......Neil
Arne Hvaring
Well-known member
Really nice work Carlos, I'm sure the parents and participants will be pleased. It seems the D300 performed great with regards to AF and DR in the contrasty light.
Cindy Flood
Super Moderator
Carlos, I just looked at the whole first day gallery. You really did a fantastic job and I'm sure that the parents and teachers are very happy.
etrigan63
Active member
As the pundit once said, "you can't please all of the people all of the time". I got a call from a mom who was upset that I only had one shot of her daughter's solo performance the first night.
I was told by the troop director that I WAS NOT to photograph the solo/duet performances of the two dancers from the New York City Ballet. When I asked who they were and what they looked like I was told that I would be able to tell. The program wasn't much help either. So when this young woman comes out and starts dancing a solo, I thought she was one of the ones I wasn't supposed to photograph and took the opportunity to swap CF cards. Cracking out my flashlight, I chanced a look at the program and saw the names of the NYC Ballet members and realized that this young woman wasn't one of them. I managed to snap off a couple of shots (one good, one bad) and figured I'd get her in the second show. The next day I shot the sequence that was missing, but they swapped the dancers
I will be requesting from the Director that I be allowed to attend the dress rehearsals in the future.
Cindy Flood
Super Moderator
Carlos,
I hope that you are not feeling bad. I guess next time I would shoot everyone and then figure out who I wasn't supposed to shoot and lose those shots. I'm sure you made a lot more Moms happy than the one who is not.
I hope that you are not feeling bad. I guess next time I would shoot everyone and then figure out who I wasn't supposed to shoot and lose those shots.
I'm sure you made a lot more Moms happy than the one who is not.
etrigan63
Active member
Thanks Cindy, I feel sorry for the Mom but I'm guessing that she is in the minority. I am going to make sure before the next show in the Spring that we get all that nonsense sorted out. They really can't complain considering how little I charged them and that I did the first show "cold turkey" and with a lens I had never handled before in my life.
etrigan63
Active member
Well, I just met with the director of the ballet company today and she has asked me to become their official photographer! I have already been commissioned to shoot photos for their upcoming production of Don Quixote including studio sessions of the stars for promotional purposes.
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Cindy Flood
Super Moderator
Way to go, Carlos!
R
Ranger 9
Guest
Or as another pundit said, "No good deed goes unpunished."
As an official photographer for what's apparently a student or youth company, you're going to be discovering something that dance teachers and choreographers already know: The worst mental health hazard in the field is the parents!
One thing you're going to want to do for your own protection is to make sure that the participation agreement that the organizers usually make students and parents sign (it generally includes a liability waiver and such) also includes a statement that they agree that the company AND YOU, the photographer, are free to photograph the dancer in connection with the company's activities and to use those photographs for any purpose.
I photograph several local dance groups so that they'll have photos for press, promotional, and archival purposes [examples here, here and here] and I find that the dancers themselves, especially adult dancers, are very appreciative of having their work documented -- although they're ruthlessly self-critical about how they look, and many times what I thought was a terrific photo would be shot down by an "Omigawd, look at my knee!" or similar remark about a tiny technical flaw that a civilian would never notice.
Parents, though, are a completely different animal. I figure that the participants are entitled to see the photos I shoot, so I generally put them on a private website and distribute the URL to the cast. I tell the dancers they're welcome to download the photos for free and share them, print them, etc. The website also links to a print service where they can order prints at what I consider extremely reasonable prices (e.g. $1 for a 4x6.)
Most people are happy about this -- but lately I've been running into situations in which one or two parents have decided that the very fact of my taking the pictures, putting them on a website, and offering prints for sale constitutes "taking advantage of their children" and telling directors that they will not allow their children to be photographed for the production. (Naturally, if their kids are in a group dance, this knocks out everybody in that dance from being photographed!)
I've also been getting objections that showing their kids' pictures on the Internet (even at a non-publicized URL) is going to attract throngs of child molesters. This doesn't seem sensible when the photos are of a public performance which child molesters could easily attend in person! But there's no reasoning with them.
It's all part of the mindset that seems to have sprung up over the past few years that anybody who's seriously interested in photography is probably an exploitive paparrazo at best, and some kind of creepy pervert at worst.
It's just a lot easier to work with adult companies made up of professional dancers... but of course there are fewer opportunities to do that.
So, I wish you good luck! Just keep the risks in mind, and try to get the company to provide you with as much "insulation" as possible.
N
nei1
Guest
Well deserved,a pat on the back as well to the company for giving you the opportunity.
etrigan63
Active member
Thanks all. I have to say that if it wasn't for you guys and for Jack & Guy having this place, I would not have been brave enough to take the job.
Ranger 9: the Company is a school also and has all ages. Part of the contract they (the parents) signed with the school/company says that they are going to be photographed. If they don't want their child photographed they simply don't participate in the productions. 99.9% of the parents are ecstatic that their kids' performances will be photographed professionally. Most, if not all, of the prima positions are held by young adults, so no issues there. Guest professional dancers can get sticky as they only want to be photographed with the troop.
However, I will draw up a contract and incorporate your suggestions into it.
Ranger 9: the Company is a school also and has all ages. Part of the contract they (the parents) signed with the school/company says that they are going to be photographed. If they don't want their child photographed they simply don't participate in the productions. 99.9% of the parents are ecstatic that their kids' performances will be photographed professionally. Most, if not all, of the prima positions are held by young adults, so no issues there. Guest professional dancers can get sticky as they only want to be photographed with the troop.
However, I will draw up a contract and incorporate your suggestions into it.